A heat wave that has seen weather services predict temperatures in excess of 105 degrees Fahrenheit in some Northeastern and Midwest states was predicted to abate, at least briefly, via severe thunderstorms in some regions over the weekend.

With plenty of pomp and pageantry (not to mention some serious pyrotechnics)—and with auspicious figures like President Bush and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in attendance—the Olympic Summer Games kicked off in Beijing on Friday.

The “Real Time” host returns with a look back on the summer, full of the usual barbs like this gem about the Democrats’ FISA capitulation: “Yes the Democrats in Congress took advantage of a deeply unpopular lame duck president by caving into his every whim and agreeing to allow the attorney general to spy on Americans without a warrant.”

While it may be frowned upon to discuss the weather, in this age of global warming it’s worth noting that the current heat wave is expected to break records throughout the western United States. Boise, Idaho, for instance, is about to be 6 degrees hotter than ever, while the town of Baker, Calif., which conveniently possesses a 134-foot-tall thermometer, recently topped off at 125 degrees. Can the ice caps be far behind?

About 140 Californians died last month from a severe heat wave, the most casualties since 1955, when air conditioning became widespread. Officials were left scrambling to explain the inordinately high number of deaths, unusual for a place where people are used to the summer heat.

“Daily Show” correspondent Rob Courdry shines a biting satirical spotlight on the terrorist group Hamas’ summer camp in Gaza, where “Palestinian children gather in mosques for religious education and paramilitary training.” Apparently, for Gaza children with special needs, there’s also a religious education and paramilitary training fat camp.

A prize-winning documentary called “Jesus Camp” chronicles the experiences of children as young as 6 who attend a summer camp to become the next Billy Graham. Truly sickening scene from the trailer: An adult pastor thunders at the children: “Had it been in the Old Testament, Harry Potter would have been put to death…. Warlocks are enemies of God.”